HC Deb 19 June 1972 vol 839 cc3-4
3. Mr. Elystan Morgan

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will request the Bowen Committee to report by not later than 31st August, 1972.

The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Peter Thomas)

I understand that the committee hopes to submit its report to me before that date.

Mr. Morgan

The House, I am sure, will be glad to hear that. Does the Secretary of State acknowledge that gestation on the part of the committee for any substantial period would give the impression that he was perhaps more interested in shelving than in solving this problem?

Mr. Thomas

I assure the House that I am not interested in shelving the problem. The committee has met 21 times and I hope that its report will be before me quite soon. I intend to publish the report as soon as practicable thereafter.

Mr. Gwynoro Jones

Will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that the report will be a comprehensive one, by which I mean that all the evidence will be published and that the system operating in other countries will be thoroughly investigated?

Mr. Thomas

I cannot give any undertaking as to what the precise publication will be but I will certainly publish the report and I will consider what the hon. Gentleman said.

Forward to